Radiant Lord of the Dark Cliffs
by Scribe of Eden
Summary: Ichigo Kurosaki's life has certainly gotten strange these past few months. As he recuperates from rescuing Rukia, he and her brother, Byakuya, realize their feelings for each other. But when Mayuri Kurostuchi gets involved, things really get weird. Rated for mature content and language.
1. The Healing Touch

_There is another version of this fic that is/will be written by the user Kazuki Kuchiki and posted to this site. I encourage you to read both fics. Though the general events are the same, there are slight differences in how we wrote the story. It would be wise to read at least some of both stories and decide if you want to follow both, just mine, or just Kazuki's._

Disclaimer: Sure as hell isn't mine. If it was, I'd be making the pairings more obvious. And not killing off certain characters.

**Chapter 1**

**The Healing Touch**

Following the daring rescue of Rukia Kuchiki and Souske Aizen's shocking revelation, Ichigo Kurosaki, fifteen-year-old substitute Soul Reaper, was spending time in the Kuchiki manor, recovering from his wounds at the insistence of the lord of the manor, Byakuya Kuchiki. Said lord just so happened to be standing in the doorway to the guest room, where Ichigo was laying on a white futon in the center. Byakuya was simply looking over him.

Ichigo's eyes opened when he sensed the other man's spiritual pressure. He was surprised to see Rukia's brother watching him. "You want something?" he asked.

Byakuya shook his head slowly. "Not in particular. The healer had to run out for something and I volunteered to make sure you didn't do something to hurt yourself."

Ichigo sat up with a groan, letting the blanket fall from his bare chest. "Yeah, after you tried to kill me."

"Ah, I apologize for that. I let my pride get in my way," Byakuya said, staying by the door and forcing a blush down. "If you wouldn't mind..." He held out a robe for him. Ichigo stood and took it and shrugged it on. The robe at least covered his battered and bandaged chest. Byakuya turned slightly when Ichigo stood to give him a sense of some dignity, even though the boy was nude and wounded. "The healers unfortunately had to strip you of your clothing to heal you."

"I noticed. Why are you helping me?" Ichigo asked as he tied the robe shut.

"You proved to me that I should follow my heart and not my sense of duty when it comes to family. For that I am grateful."

The noble's sudden change of heart had the substitute reeling. "Are you hitting on me?"

"No. Trust me, Kurosaki. If I were as you so elegantly phrased it, hitting on you, you would know it."

"First you try to kill me, now you're thanking me? Sorry to sound skeptical, but I'm having a hard time buying it," Ichigo said with a scowl.

"Then do not, and remove yourself from my property," Byakuya said, turning to leave.

"I would, if your damn healers would let me leave!" Ichigo shouted. He then winced, as his shouting sent a wave of pain through his injuries.

The noble reacted on instinct and rushed forward to steady Ichigo. "Perhaps you should lay down and let me call the head healer."

He leaned into the other man, exhausted. "Good idea."

Byakuya led him back to the futon and laid him under the blanket before leaving to fetch the healer. _I cannot believe he called my bluff so quickly, he is more perceptive than people give him credit for._

Ichigo panted, wondering what Kuchiki was getting at. _He doesn't seem the type to keep an eye on me like that, grateful or not._

* * *

Byakuya soon came back with the head healer. "Are you feeling any better?" he asked the orange-haired teen on the floor.

"A little. That shouting really took a lot out of me."

"Then refrain from shouting...idiot..."

Ichigo scowled. "It's your fault. You pissed me off."

Byakuya scowled right back. "It is not my fault that you were being stubborn about things that at the time were none of your concern!" he shouted, which made Ichigo flinch. Byakuya took a deep breath to calm himself. "My apologies. I did not intend to start yelling."

"Uh huh."

"I know that you will not understand what is going through my mind right now, but to give you some perspective. Imagine the young girl up on Sokyoku Hill had been your sister and not mine."

"I'd never let anyone kill Karin or Yuzu! I only became a Soul Reaper so I could protect them!"

"Now you understand what I feel. Having failed in protecting my own sister." Byakuya looked down at the floor. Ichigo got to his feet shakily and patted Byakuya's shoulder awkwardly. "Lay back down before I am forced to lay you out, Kurosaki. Do not think I will not stoop that low."

Ichigo nodded, a fearful look on his face, and laid down. "Just thought I'd help."

"You have already helped. Now it is my turn to return the favor." Byakuya sat near to Ichigo on the floor.

Ichigo rolled over to face him. "How?"

"How what?" The noble raised one eyebrow.

"How are you going to return the favor?" Ichigo's heart pounded nervously.

"I am going to make sure that you are in one piece, and that that piece is functioning the way it is supposed to be before you leave my manor. Are you feeling unwell again? Your face is bright red." He put his hand against Ichigo's forehead to check his temperature.

"I'm fine," he mumbled. _No, I'm not. What the hell is going on?_

"Are you sure?" _God, what am I doing? This is beyond inappropriate conduct._

"I dunno. My hands are really sweaty." _What would Rukia think? _Byakuya found a dry cloth and ran it slowly and carefully over Ichigo's hands to dry cloth tickled his hands. He clenched them into fists. "What's wrong with me?"

"I have a guess, but I do not wish to embarrass you." Byakuya put the cloth down and continued to just sit by the substitute.

"I don't think I could be embarrassed any further," Ichigo said simply. It was partly true, since the older man was making him feel some very strange things. Things he wasn't going to admit out loud.

"Trust me, Kurosaki. This will mortify you." Byakuya gave him a slight smile. Ichigo just blushed slightly and tried to hide it. "I can only assume that you are blushing, your palms are sweaty and your heart feels like it will burst from your chest at any moment?" Ichigo nodded. "I have displayed those exact same symptoms before. I know what is afflicting you." Byakuya turned his head away from the teen. "The only time I have felt those particular symptoms is when I met Hisana."

"Who's Hisana?"

"My late wife. The only time I can recall myself having the same symptoms as you are now, was when I realized I was in love with her. She is Rukia's older sister. Unfortunately, Hisana passed away 50 years ago."

Ichigo just nodded again, unsure of what Byakuya was getting at. _Me? In love? No, that's not possible. Especially not near this stuffed shirt._

Byakuya subconsciously brushed his own sweat-covered palms on his uniform. "I wish Rukia would have gotten a chance to actually meet her."

"How is Rukia? I haven't seen here the whole time I've been here."

"Fine. She is in Hueco Mundo on a scouting mission. All is well that I know of."

"That's good." He rolled onto his back and winced as the hard floor hit a sore spot.

Byakuya picked him up and started walking down the hall to a more lavishly decorated room. "Rest in here." He laid Ichigo on a Western style bed.

He looked up into those steely eyes with his warm brown ones. "You sure?"

"The bed in here is far more comfortable than the one in the guest bedroom. And I will be much closer if you need anything."

He nodded. "Thanks for letting me stay here."

"I do not think you quite understand where you are."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know whose bed that is?" Byakuya looked at Ichigo pointedly. "You are not in any of the guest rooms."

Ichigo shook his head. "I'm still all woozy."

Byakuya sighed. "That is my bed. You are in my personal chambers."

Ichigo blushed a deep red. "I...err...I think I'll be okay in the guest room."

"No. You were wincing and laying on the softest futon I own. I insist that you spend the rest of your recuperation time here."

"But where are you going to sleep?"

"Over there in the attendant's alcove." Byakuya pointed to a moderately sized sleeping area. "Normally Torio sleeps there, but he is visiting an ailing parent right now." Ichigo nodded, wishing the blush would just go away. Byakuya's face broke into a smile slowly. "I do not mind at all." He started removing his uniform as Ichigo quickly covered his eyes to hide the sight. "No need for that. I am not ashamed of my body."

"Yeah, but I am." He slowly lowered his hand, still very uncertain. After all, this was the man that had tried to kill him.

"What reason would you have to be ashamed of my body?" Byakuya stripped nude and started rummaging through his closet.

"I'm not gay." Ichigo hid his head under the blankets, not thrilled with the view. What was with this guy?

"I do not understand your comment..." He pulled out a pale blue sleeping robe and put it on. "What does your orientation have to do with my getting changed?"

"I don't like seeing nude guys." A few locks of bright hair were all that were visible of Ichigo.

"I do not recall forcing you to look. We are in my bedroom, where my clothes are kept." Byakuya sat on the futon in the alcove.

"Well, you...never mind."

He looked down. "I am sorry. I should not have done anything to offend you...I will go sleep in the guest room."

Ichigo peeked out, his eyes wide. "No, I don't mind if you slept in here. Like you said, you'll be closer if something happens." He felt the blush return. "Besides, if Aizen or his goons come looking for me, I'd rather have you protecting me." What was he saying? Did he really want Byakuya protecting him? The man who almost killed his own sister?

Byakuya fought the blush and lost. "Perhaps you are right and it is better that I stay here."

Ichigo found himself smiling slightly as he folded down the blanket. "Thanks."

"For?"

"Everything."

Byakuya scrunched his eyebrows and looked at the orange-haired Soul Reaper beore him. "What have I done besides make sure you are fixed up?"

"I don't know. But that's the main thing. Otherwise I'd be dead."

"I see." Byakuya moved over to a chair by the bed. "If you do not mind my asking, do you like my sister?"

"Yeah, but just as a friend. I don't think she'd ever see us as much more than that."

"I...see..." Byakuya looked down, trying to hide the blush that had returned. "Do you want her to see you both as more than that?" he asked.

"I don't know." Ichigo looked at his hands on the blanket. "I'm really grateful to her for giving me my powers, but were just so different. I don't think it could ever work. I mean, I'm still alive and she's...well..."

Byakuya took a few breaths. "I understand. I will leave you to rest now." He went over to the alcove and laid down, while Ichigo rolled over, closed his eyes, and tried to calm his racing heart. _He shot me down before I even started...I do not understand why it hurts as much as it does...it shouldn't,_ Byakuya thought, pulling his arms closer to his body. How could Kurosaki make him feel this way?

_What was I saying? I really do like Rukia. Then again, this is her brother, the bastard that almost had her killed. What was I supposed to say? _Ichigo thought to himself. He didn't need Horse or Zangetsu making snide comments about his emotions.

Byakuya got back up and left the room, unable to stay near the substitute Soul Reaper. "I apologize, but I simply cannot sleep in there."

He sighed, still unable to fall asleep, his mind racing. _Everything's just gone topsy-turvy these last few days. Ever since Aizen went nuts._

He moved into the guest room and laid on the futon where Ichigo had been just moments before, trying to get some sleep. _I do not like feeling the way he shot me down._

Meanwhile, Ichigo rolled over to face the doorway. _Did I offend him somehow. Shit, I almost said they were all technically dead! What's gotten into me?_

As Byakuya curled in on himself and tried to make his heart stop thumping, Ichigo had finally calmed down enough to fall asleep, slipping into a nightmare world where the Hollow took over completely. Those dreams terrified the orange-haired teen. He could barely control Horse. How could he keep his sanity when the Hollow took over every time his life was in danger?

Byakuya jumped up from the futon, feeling the sudden spike in Ichigo's spiritual pressure and runs to his bedroom. "Ichigo! Ichigo!" he shouted, shaking the boy, who woke up in a cold sweat. Byakuya pulled him close to his chest and tried to soothe away the shaking. "Are you okay?"Ichigo curled into him and shook his head. "What happened? Tell me about the dream?" Byakuya tightened his hold on Ichigo.

"I dreamed that the Hollow inside me took over completely." Ichigo shuddered at the thought.

Byakuya ran his hand through Ichigo's hair to soothe him. "We will not let that happen. You will be fine."

Ichigo sniffled "It almost did happen. When we were fighting."

Byakuya kept running his fingers through the bright orange hair as he spoke. "You did not though." _I wish I could...but...I cannot..._

_This feels good. I…I don't ever want him to stop. _Ichigo closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of the noble's fingers in his hair. "If I could've, I would've killed you myself. I wasn't going to let him do it."

"You may have injured me, but I do not think you would have been able to kill me." _I wish he would ask me to stay here with him, to stay in my bed beside him._

"C-Can you stay? That dream feels less real with you here," Ichigo said quietly.

Byakuya blinked a few times, surprised at the substitute's sudden question. "Did you just read my mind?"

"I d-don't think so. In the dream, the Hollow killed you and Rukia and everyone else blamed me. If you stayed here, then I know that didn't happen." Ichigo looked up at the older man with tear-filled brown eyes.

"Of course I will stay here" Byakuya held him close to his chest "As long as you need me, I will be right here."

Ichigo leaned on his chest. "Then don't ever leave." _I don't know why, but I feel so much better like this._

Byakuya tilted Ichigo's head up and very tentatively kissed him.


	2. No Words Can Describe the Feeling

_AN: Well, here it is, the long-awaited second chapter. And seriously, folks, I want to hear from you. Especially on this one. You'll see why in a bit._

Disclaimer: _Bleach_ belongs to Tite Kubo. Sadly, the only bleach I own is under the sink, and I don't _think_ I heard any Hollows or Soul Reapers under there...

**Chapter 2**

**No Words Can Describe The Feeling**

Ichigo blushed even worse than before. "What was that for?" he asked, in an attempt to make sense of it all. He certainly wasn't going to come out and admit anything first.

Byakuya blushed again as well. "I...I wanted to. Have...have I crossed some sort of line?"

"I don't know." Ichigo averted his eyes. "In the world of the living, two guys kissing like that is looked down on. I don't know how it is here." _He can stammer? I never thought it was possible. Does he really like me like that? Was that why he asked about Rukia?_

Byakuya blushed darker than before. "I really like you. Relationships like that are not frowned upon here. I had asked you about my sister, because..I knew if you were not interested in her, I would stand a better chance."

"Are you serious? I'm not even sixteen!" He winced slightly and subsided. "Besides, I'm nothing but a substitute," Ichigo grumbled, holding his side.

"You think your age or status matters to me? I don't care that you're only a substitute!" And with that, Byakuya kissed the orange-haired Soul Reaper again. Ichigo started to deepen the kiss, forgetting for a moment who he was kissing. The noble slowly laid Ichigo down on the bed.

Ichigo winced again. "Careful. You really dealt me a good one the other day." He gave a pained smile.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to hurt you." Byakuya laid beside him and nuzzled against him.

"Can I ask you a question, sir?" _I don't even really know what to call him._

"Sir...? Really? Call me Byakuya. What did you want to know?"

"How long you wanted this. Did you like me even as you left me for dead in the rain?"

"You have to realize, I'd only known you for a total of five or maybe ten minutes then. I found myself attracted to you when you fought against the odds to save my sister."

Ichigo nodded, slowly falling asleep. "I still had help…" he mumbled.

Byakuya curled beside him, carefully laying his arm over Ichigo. "I know."

Ichigo fell into a more peaceful sleep, untroubled by Hollows. His last thought was, _Thank you, Byakuya._

Byakuya nuzzled against him, half awake. "You're welcome." At that, Ichigo smiled in his sleep for the first time in years, as his lover held him as close as he could while they slept.

* * *

The next morning, pain in his wounds woke Ichigo around dawn. He rolled over, wincing, and nudged Byakuya. The older man grunted softly as he woke up. "What is it...?"

"Injuries." Ichigo held his side, grimacing in pain.

Slowly, Byakuya pulled the blanket back and saw the blood seeping out, staining the bandages. "Hold on, I'm going to get the healer. Unfortunately healing kido is not something I'm particularly good at."

Ichigo nodded. "Hurry back."

Byakuya ran to the healer and brought him back, settling on the bed beside Ichigo, holding his hand as the bandages were changed. "I'm so sorry, Ichigo. I shouldn't have let my pride get in my way. If I had just listened to you, you wouldn't be hurt now," he said, sighing as Ichigo blushed slightly. He was still a little unsure at being close to Byakuya like this with others near. It was one thing when they were alone and the older Soul Reaper was soothing him from a nightmare.

The healer looked up with a smile. "Thank you, young master. You have given this family a gift."

"A gift?"

"Oh yes. Look behind you. You have returned to use the young Lord that we thought was gone. His grandfather had disciplined his fiery nature out of him, and we thought we would never see it again," the healer replied.

Ichigo looked up at Byakuya. "So you haven't always been a stuffed shirt?" he asked.

"No. That was only recent. My grandfather, Ginrei, saw it as unbecoming of a Noble Lord to insight games of shunpo tag with the Captain of the Secret Mobile Corps. Or to at the very least attempt to steal Zaraki's hair bells." Ichigo tried to laugh, but it turned into a grimace of pain.

"Don't force anything." Byakuya brushed his fingers over his face slowly. "You still need to rest and heal."

"I've had enough resting. I want to get up and _do_ things."

"Ichigo. You pulled open your wounds while you were sleeping. Do you really think you're ready to get up and move around?" He nuzzled Ichigo's cheek softly. "I don't want to see you hurt even worse because you are so stubborn."

"I've always been stubborn. It's just who I am."

"You get that from your father. He drove us all nuts."

"My dad? How could he have driven you nuts? He's still alive, as far as I know."

"Your father was one of us...about sixteen years ago he left our ranks. He hasn't told you about that yet?"

"No. I never knew that." Ichigo sighed and leaned into him, wanting to get up and move around.

"Rest for a little while longer, and once the bleeding has slowed, we can take a walk through the gardens. Does that sound okay?" Byakuya held him and gently ran his fingers through the bright orange hair.

"How can you know what I want to say before I even say it?"

"I don't know. I just...do. I know you are getting more restless, and while I would prefer you stayed in bed resting, I know you will not be happy until you can move around. The best idea would be to walk my gardens. That way you can move as you wish, but remain close to the house."

"Could I go see my friends instead?"

"Your human friends are not here, and you are not well enough yet to traverse the precipice world. I will have word sent to Urahara and have them brought to you. Renji is waiting in the main dining hall with Rukia. They are worried about you."

"Then I'll see Rukia for now. _Maybe she can get me out of this weird dream._ He sighed and slid further under the blankets. He barely knew this man. How could they be together?

"Then I shall be right back." He crawled out of bed, went to the dining hall, and brouht her back with him, crawling right back into the bed when he returned. _I wonder why I feel no embarrassment having her see me near to him like this…_

Rukia rushed over to her injured friend. "Ichigo! Are you okay? Why would you do something so stupid?!"

He looked up at her. "I couldn't just leave you to die. Not after what we went through together." He schooched away from Byakuya uneasily. _What the hell are you thinking, Byakuya? What wokuld she think of us?_

Rukia pushed him back into place. "Stay put. You don't want to open your wounds again, do you? Jeez. And I thought you were dumb earlier for taking on that hollow with no powers and a crutch. And don't you dare think that I would get upset over you and my brother being together. I think it's about time he opened his heart up again to somebody."

He looked at her stupidly. "But me?"

Rukia tilted her head, not quite understanding. "But you what? You don't want to be with my older brother?"

"All my life, I've heard that this sort of relationship isn't healthy. Especially not with a man that left me for dead," Ichigo explained.

"What sort of relationship? A same-gender one? Here in the Soul Society we aren't that strict. And I'm sure Nii-sama has explained to you why he did that. You can't see how much he's putting on the line here. Don't do something stupid and break his heart. I won't forgive you if you do."

Byakuya, meanwhile was snoring softly in the background, having fallen back to sleep.

Ichigo nodded "I'm sorry."

Byakuya subconsciously curled himself closer to Ichigo, mumbling in his sleep. "Won't…hnnn…go…"

Ichigo carefully wrapped his arm around the older man, careful of his wounds. Byakuya would be pissed if he found out that Ichigo hurt himself because of him. "I'll take care of him, Rukia. I promise. It's the least I could do." Rukia smiled and left the new couple.

Byakuya started waking slowly, nuzzling forward into Ichigo's hair. Hey…" he mumbled.

Ichigo smiled "Hey. You sure you slept okay last night?"

Byakuya cracked one sleepy gray eye open. "I hardly slept at all. Every time I would start to finally fall asleep, you would start whimpering and I would drag myself awake to run my fingers through your hair to calm you down."

"Oh." His face fell. "Sorry. I didn't realize."

"I wanted to do it. Don't be upset by something I did of my own free will. You were the one that needed the rest, and anything I could do to make it easier was well worth not sleeping for a night." And with that, Byakuya kissed him very softly. As they kissed for the second time, Ichigo felt his body respond. Byakuya deepened the kiss, forgetting that Rukia was still standing in the room. Ichigo pressed himself closer to Byakuya, wanting so much more from the older man.

Byakuya pulled back and looked Ichigo square in the eye. "Do you think you can handle this? I don't want to hurt you."

"I'll be fine. It doesn't really hurt that much."

"Okay. As long as you're sure. _If_ you start to feel pain, let me know and I'll stop." Byakuya kissed him again, untying their robes. Ichigo nodded, watching him carefully as he ran his hand lightly over the bandages, kissing his way across Ichigo's jaw and neck. Ichigo leaned into his touch, well aware of his growing erection. Byakuya kissed his shoulder and wrapped his hand around Ichigo's manhood, starting to move his hand slowly along the boy's shaft.

Ichigo's breath caught. Was he really ready for this? But the feeling of his hand stroking him told Ichigo that he was. Byakuya Kuchiki was the first person, living or dead, to touch him like that.

Byakuya licked back up Ichigo's neck and kissed him deeply, running his thumb over the head of the orange-haired boy's penis. _I almost can't believe this is happening. I feel like I'm dreaming, but I know he's really right there in front of...um...under...me._

Ichigo's hips bucked as he tried to push himself farther into Byakuya's hand. He'd give this man everything if only to keep him happy.

Byakuya broke the kiss to breathe for a few seconds and licked his way over the other side of Ichigo's jaw, pausing for a second. "Please...tell me how you feel," he moaned low against his lover's neck.

"Perfectly fine," Ichio moaned into him. In truth, he wasn't fine. His side, where Sebonzakura nearly cut him in half, was sore again, and there was a hell of a lot of pressure on his balls.

"That's not quite what I meant. I didn't mean physically. I meant emotionally." Byakuya slid down, pausing to lick one of Ichigo's nipples.

Ichigo gulped. How _did_ he feel? Aroused? No shit. But other than that, he had no idea. Hell, he didn't even know how the two of them could make a relationship work.

Byakuya chuckled against his skin. "Confused? Worried? Not sure how we're going to make it work?" He kissed and licked his way down to Ichigo's navel and dipped his tongue in experimentally.

"Exactly. How can you know all of that without me saying anything? Is it my reiatsu?" he gasped, loving the feeling of his tongue on his skin.

Byakuya let his kisses trail lower, his eyes closing as he reached the thing he'd wanted. "I haven't read your reiatsu once since you've been here. I just know what it is your thinking. Like you're an open book." Gently, he slid his tongue up Ichigo's shaft.

Ichigo brought his hands up and tangled them in Byakuya's silky hair. God, it felt great. He never wanted it to end.

Byakuya sucked playfully on the head and moaned against him, enjoying the sensation of fingers in his hair. _It's been so long since anyone's played with my hair like that...it was the whole reason I even kept it long..._

His moaning then set Ichigo off. He threw his head back and pulled his lover closer. His dark hair was so soft. Ichigo couldn't help but wonder what he put on it to make it like that. Even his scalp under his fingers was perfect.

Byakuya put one hand out and felt around on the bedside stand for something, confused when he couldn't locate it. "One second..." He got up and went to the door and peeked out. "Hey, what happened to my massage oil? I know it was right there."

On the wooden walkway just outside the door, there rested a small, ornate-looking bottle tied with a ribbon. A shadowed figure that looked like a servant dashed around the corner and flashstepped away, heading back to make a report.

* * *

_AN: Hee, hee. I bet you all are hating me even more after that little ending. Well, there's a little tidbit that DIDN'T make it into the chapter. PM me or something, and I'll show you what I mean. Spoiler alert: the tidbit explains how this is an mpreg fic. _


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